11th June 2018
Roger Hannah
It was recently announced that Salford City Council is going to create a new city district, situated between the famous Media City and Manchester’s Central Business District. This re-development will change the landscape around the Salford University campus. The aim of the redevelopment is to allow Salford to prosper and continue to grow into a modern city, an extension of the ever-growing Manchester City Centre.
When?
As with all huge construction plans, this will take a lengthy amount of time to complete. Approximately two decades have been set aside as the time scale for the development, with the view of enhancing connections between neighbours and communities at a site across 240 acres. The development is designed with unity in mind. Bringing together local education, culture, heritage, arts and people. The idea is to create an unrivalled space where we can work, learn, live and visit. It will also encourage more tourists, as Media City already brings in many visitors to Salford.
What Are the Benefits?
The potential for the transformation is promising. It includes 2,500 residential homes, 25 hectares of green park space, a new hotel, a new school, local health services, further retail and commercial options and much, much more. It also includes the proposal of 300,000 sq ft for student accommodation, ideal in a city where student housing is hard to come by.
In addition, the proposed commercial space would include a sports and health centre, building on sectors growing in Manchester and providing job opportunities. In fact, the whole re-development should bring with plenty of new job opportunities for locals.
It also aims to ensure the future of six heritage buildings, which could have otherwise been in jeopardy. Furthermore, the 25 hectares of transformed, historic parkland is more green space than the 2 football grounds and Manchester City Centre combined.
The Outcome
This ‘masterplan’ Salford re-development is proposed to rejuvenate the area. The increased facilities, additional commercial opportunities, and promised green space would give the area a noticeable boost. With developments booming across the City Centre and early parts of Salford currently, the push now is to help a broader Salford follow in the footsteps of the many developments all across Greater Manchester, with the aim to build a more contemporary, dynamic region.